The Invisible Demigod

Claire - XIII

"Nico!"

I felt his arms wrap around me and he pulled me close as we were temporarily weightless. The nest crashed from branch to branch, Echidna's screaming and the sound of the wind were the only things I heard. Nico buried his face into my hair and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Brace yourself!" he yelled a moment before the nest hit the ground. I was ripped from Nico's grasp and was thrown out of the nest. I slammed into the asphalt that made the road and the last thing I heard was Nico yelling my name.

I opened my eyes, rain water was dropping steadily from the sky. I looked up, it wasn't night, but it was getting dark. Rain continued to fall, getting faster. I tried to move, but my shoulder screamed in protest. I gasped in pain and drew in a shuddering breath. I lifted my head and pain shot through my forehead and down my spine. I went limp, gasping. It was the most intense pain I had ever felt and the rain water barely helped, salt water was the best for healing injured children of Poseidon.

"Nico?" I croaked. My brain seemed clogged and fuzzy. I shifted slightly, trying to turn onto my other side. Small stabs of pain made my eyes water. I was suddenly facing the left overs of a gryphon nest. About ten yards away, in the center of the road, the nest was a pile of straw and sticks. Animal bones littered the ground, but no sign of Sam or Nico, and thankfully there was no sign of Echidna either.

I sat up and cried out in pain, my spine felt like it had been snapped in half. I stretched slowly and collapsed onto my back, black spots dancing in front of my eyes. I was panting and I was sure I was going to pass out. I heard a groan and the sound of something shifting in the nest.

"Claire?" I heard someone said in a hoarse voice. I tried to move, but a scream of pain tried to rip it's way out of my throat, so I stilled. I heard some coughing and more shifting. I squeezed my eyes closed, slowly moving my arms over my head. I was trying to curl into a ball so I could block out the pain, but moving wasn't helping. My stomach heaved and I vomited right onto the road. It was smelly and vile, I almost emptied my stomach again. The sound of my retching seemed to tell whoever was there where I was. I felt a hand brush my hair away. "Oh gods." I heard them mutter.

Then I realized it was Nico, my vision was so blurry and my eyes were watering so much I could barely see.

I tried to speak, but a cough came out instead. I felt Nico shifting me so he could lift me into a sitting position. I tried to tell him to stop, but it was too late. His hands barely touch my spine and a scream of pain escaped me. He jerked back in surprise and I laid on my side, panting. I gripped the stiff grass as I gathered my strength. I sat up on my own, the pain was dulling slightly as the rain turned into a complete downpour. The water was helping.

"Are you okay?" he asked, I pressed my palm onto his chest to keep him at arms length. I saw a little bit of hurt pass over his face.

"I'm sorry," I wheezed. "Just give me a little space." I wrapped my arms around my ribcage and bent over slightly so I was in a fetal position. I took a few deep breaths, the pain was almost bearable.

"I'll go get some ambrosia. The car's not to far away." And he was gone, running back to the car. I continued to sit there, breathing in and out.

"Claire!" I heard someone yell. I heard pounding footsteps and suddenly Sam was there. He put a hand on my back and I sat up in a rigid position, I let out a wail of pain. He grip my shoulders tightly, which only added to the pain. "What's wrong?" he asked. "What hurts?" I tried to pull away, but I was too weak. "Claire?"

"Get away from her, you idiot!" I heard Nico's footfalls as he returned. "Something's wrong with her and you're making it worse!" Sam released me and I stopped screaming, then flopped onto my side. Each breath sent a new wave of pain through my spine. I heard the sound of plastic crinkling, then I felt a gentle hand on my cheek. "Claire," I heard Nico murmur. "Please, eat this." I opened my mouth and he put a square of ambrosia into my mouth. The taste of french toast flooded my tastebuds and I almost burst into tears from the pain of chewing.